Star formation in clusters: early sub-clustering in the Serpens core
by
L. Testi (1), A.I. Sargent (2), L. Olmi (3), and J.S. Onello (4)
(1) Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri,
Largo Enrico Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze, Italy
(2) Department of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, California
Institute of Technology, MS 105-24, Pasadena CA 91125, USA
(3) LMT Project and FCRAO, University of Massachusetts, 630 L.G.R.C., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
(4) Department of Physics, State University of New York, Cortland, NY 13045, USA
Abstract:
We present high resolution interferometric and single dish observations of
molecular gas in the
Serpens cluster-forming core.
Star formation does not appear to be homogeneous throughout the core,
but is localised in spatially- and kinematically-separated
sub-clusters. The stellar (or proto-stellar) density in each of the
sub-clusters is much higher than the mean for the entire Serpens
cluster. This is the first observational evidence for the hierarchical
fragmentation of proto-cluster cores suggested by cluster formation
models.
Mantained by:
Leonardo Testi